Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Muslim women today are struggling to deal with the stereotypes and misconceptions associated with the role of women in Islam
The place of muslim woman in a society short essay
The status of women in Muslim society
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
In addition, Muslim women wear Hijab/ Veils because they are a part of some Muslim women’s identity. Muslim women want to practice their religion and show the public that they belong to Islam. Any woman who wears Hijab/Veils can be easily considered that she is Muslim. Muslim women do not want to change themselves because of globalization. They assert that women have their freedom to wear what is comfortable for them. Muslim women argue that Western women in Western cultures wear clothes that show their identity. For example, a nun, in Western Cultures, covers herself from head to toe. No one can attack her because she wants to show her identity as a religious woman. It is the same when Muslim women ware their Hijab/Veils. It is not wrong …show more content…
One woman who started wearing hijab in college said, "I lived in a co-ed dorm and it was really the first time I had to deal with unwanted attention from guys. I guess that was the first time I really understood why it was necessary to wear a scarf, because as soon as I did, all the idiots left me alone"(Ali, 518). Muslim Women who wearing Hijab/Veils are protected by their Hijab, so no one can hurt them. This young woman clarifies “[I started wearing hijab] because I began to realize that what people think is nowhere compared to Allah (subhanawatallah), and so, how could I blatantly disobey an order because of 'standing out'? Also, I was very active in playing outside, and so I realized that while it would be harder with hijab, it's probably better than not having it at all. Basically, I realized how what was preventing me from doing so was directly linked only to this world, and the insignificance of this world was just so obvious” (Ali, …show more content…
According to them, Hijab/ Veils are inappropriate for themselves. It is their freedom to not wear Hijab/Veils. Some Muslim women think that Hijab/Veils do not give them freedom. They also, think Hijab/Veils are an old style of their grandmothers, so they do not have to wear it. Some Muslim women are liberals, and they are against some their religion legislation. Other Muslim women do not think that Hijab/Veils are not obligation for all Muslim Women. For example, when a young woman starts to wear Hijab her parents do not support her because her parents think that Hijab/Veils are inappropriate. Ali says, “A twenty-two year old Pakistani law student said that her "parents were very unsupportive and had an extremely hard time coping"(520). Her parents think that they are a modern family, and she supposed to take off her Hijab. This is can prove that some Muslim men do not force their wives, daughters, sisters, and mothers to wear Hijab/Veils. These Muslim men encourage Muslim women to be liberal and support the idea of taking off Hijab. Muslim women, who could themselves liberal, are not against women who wear Hijab/Veils, but they think that it is their freedom to wear
Professor Leila Ahmed, active Islamic feminist, in her article “Reinventing the veil” published in the Financial Times assumes that there is a connection between “advancement” and veiling, which means that unveiled women are advanced and vice versa. In addition, she supports that it led to increasing rate of violence. She questions why women wear veil, that is considered as “symbol of patriarchy and women’s oppression”. However, research changed her position towards wearing veil. Firstly, she states that wearing veil was essential for women, because it could be beneficial and influence to how people treat women, in terms of job, marriage and free movement in public. Secondly, her assumption was explained while interviewing women, who stated
The author of this essay thinks it is ridiculous that women cannot wear their hijab in certain places around the world. Many people think the hijab is not necessary. However, it is part of what Muslim women believe. She explains in her essay, "So next time you hear about a hijab ban think about your best pair of jeans or your faded t-shirt with the logo of your favorite band" (Fakhraie 461). A hijab is just like every other piece of clothing that covers up the body. It can be part of their religion, or they can wear a hijab just because they like how it
Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving by Lila Abu-Lughod describes Western feminist beliefs on Muslim women and their burqa/veil and how focusing on these misconceptions are doing far more harm than good. This causes Western feminists reduce the culture and beliefs of Muslim women down to a single piece of clothing. The burqa is a type of veil worn by Muslim women for a number of reasons such as proprietary and signaling their relationship with God. The burqa is often seen a symbol of suppression amongst the Western world and it was expected for women to throw it off in a show of independence once liberated from the Taliban. The saving of Muslim women is often used to justify the “War on Terrorism” as exemplified in Laura Bush 's 2001 speech. The belief that Muslim women needed saving existed before the “War on Terrorism” as seen when Marnia Lazreg wrote about a skit where two Afghan girls talked about the beauty of the free Christian France.
The veil illustrates a women’s love for god, their modesty, and to show Muslim identity. The veil itself is not bad and even today is looked as a women’s choice to wear such clothing. The symbolism behind the hijab is very powerful and beautiful to show love for god and self-identity. The hijab gives women power and choice; Although, many women adopted the hijab since they will be treated better in their society. In the article “Reinventing the Veil” by Leila Ahmed, she wrote, “Changing dress sometimes empowered them in relation to their parents… expanded job and marriage possibilities… and ability to move freely in public space.” The idea that women must wear the hijab to be equal to men to demining to women. Some parts of the Islam society look as women differently depending on whether they wear the hijab, but the hijab should only be the woman’s choice and not something women have to wear to be able to walk freely and acquire jobs that men have. The western world looks at this and instantly looks down on the Islam world even when the whole society doesn’t look down on women for their choice on wearing the
Now more than ever the Muslim faith is being put into the spotlight. America continues attempts at banning 7 Muslim majority countries from entering the country. With all this negative publicity, there has been an increase in hate crimes towards Muslim people. It is often hard to tell a person’s faith just by their appearance. However, women who practice Islam are required to wear veils which cover their hair. By wearing the veil these women are susceptible to hate crimes since they can be identified as practicing Muslims. Additionally, in the Western society the women who wear the veil are often seen as oppressed. Homa Hoodfara, a professor at Concordia University, discusses the Western Societies’ views on veiled Muslim women in her article The Veil in their Minds and On Our Heads: The Persistence of Colonial Images of Muslim Women. In this article Homa discusses the negative interpretation that the Western society has on the veil. She also explains how these negative views contribute to prejudice views and the discrimination of veiled women. Lastly, Homa tries to explain how veiled Muslim women and women in general living in the Western society both suffer from female oppression.
While people in the west think that women in Islam are oppressed, they do not know that Islam liberated women from oppression. There are many people who have opinions about the religion of Islam, but mostly about the women who follow it. Westerners have this idea that women in Islam are disrespected, mistreated and oppressed. In actuality, these allegations are incorrect. Women in Islam have rights and are not oppressed. The veil is widely misunderstood and many do not know what it represents. In many ways, men and women are equal as much as they are not; and this is in every religion.
There are many different views towards Muslim choice of clothing especially wearing the veil. “I wear it believing it is necessary, but someone else can be wearing it believing that she is doing something extra” said Hamna Ahmed. One of the many reasons a Muslim can be wearing the veil are their own personal decisions too. Hamna has been wearing it for seven years now, despite her mother and three of her four sisters staying uncovered. Socially this causes an issue with the meaning of the veil and conflict with other groups. With many different consumptions of religion, what it means, what is considered to be practicing and what is not can lead to negative misunderstandings. Ultimately the decisions are up to the individuals although; there is likely to be misinterpretation between the meaningfulness of religion to family and society. On an even bigger scale of things this could also impact society and it...
While she views wearing the Hijab as a choice for
299). The study consisted of having in-depth personal interviews to share their experiences of being a Muslim American woman (Anderson Droogsma, 2007, p. 300). Veiling to these women was a way of freedom while also having a Muslim identity (Anderson Droogsma, 2007, p. 301). It was also a source of behavior control, to not be sexually objectified, a way of commanding respect from others and even a source of checking their own behavior (Anderson Droogsma, 2007, p. 301). One of the women interviewed said, veiling to her was a way to feel connected to other Muslim woman who veil (Anderson Droogsma, 2007, p. 302). Veiling can be a way to feel connected to your religion and God as well as being connected to those who practice the same faith, it can be considered an act of membership. Many of the women interviewed noted they have been removed from planes, been treated unfairly, and have had strangers shout at them all for just being Muslim and being more visibly recognized from veiling (Anderson Droogsma, 2007, p. 303). This is an example of how media can affect the general population. When the media only shows radicals and compares all Muslims to being terrorist or dangerous they are actually putting Muslim people at risk of being assaulted in public. Muslim woman in particular are more at risk for being assaulted as they are more identifiable. So while veiling can be a source of empowerment and freedom for women it is a double-edged sword because it also puts them at further risk of being
One’s body is very attractive to the opposite sex and thus it should not be revealed as if it has no value. One should look at a person’s beauty from the inside, the heart, not just from the outside. One should be liked and judged not by what they choose to wear, but by their personality. Hijab is a choice that some women or girls make for their own security, for more privacy, or because it makes them feel comfortable and confident about themselves. It should be a choice though, and as it is not proven to us that it is obligatory, countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan should remove their laws that insist every girl puts the veil on.
In “I Just Want to Be Me”, by Pamela K. Taylor, she wanted to get across that a hijab is just a scrap of cloth, although usually stands for and symbolize much more than what is really is. She starts off by pointing out that although she is this accomplished woman, with a career and family, she is looked at as oppressed because she wears a hijab (218). After 9/11 some Americans viewed women who wear hijabs as uneducated, and the hijab has become associated with violence, and extremist Islam (219). The hijab has become a symbol and usually when they need a woman to speak for Muslims it is usually one wearing a hijab (221). From the Muslim community the hijab gets a good and bad reaction on one hand, some Muslims see women who wear hijabs as very
“Women’s rights in Islam” is great controversial topic going on nowadays. The world is colored with different cultures and religions. Most people come up with different thoughts for other religion’s people by just having one look on them. Veil is obsession for some people, whereas, being bald is freedom in some people’s point of view. There are lots of misconceptions about women’s rights in Islam among non muslims. If women are covering their body or if they like to stay at home, people think that they don’t have any freedom in this religion and women are obsessed. But this is not reality. A person cannot point out anything wrong and blame other’s religion just because of his own confusion. He needs to study thoroughly and then come up with opposing viewpoints. Therefore, the misconception about women’s rights in Islam should be removed because women have equal rights, veil is for their protection, and they have freedom of speech and expression.
Within the Middle East, the largest population of the men and women are Muslim. The Muslim religion suggests that women wear a veil or hijab, which is a head scarf that only exposes a woman’s eyes, accompanied by a burqa which is a full body cloak. The sole purpose of the clothing is to cover a woman’s feminine features from men’s eyes. The Qur’an, an Islamic scripture, supports and slightly obligates the uniform by saying that women are to be conservative, “let them wear their head covering over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments.” (Qur’an).
In the Islamic faith, Muslim women are required to dress modestly by God. In the Qur’an, God speaks directly to all Muslim women and says “...guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment (The Qur’an 24:31)”. Muslim women have to wear a hijab, or a head covering, when they are in public places and when they are around men who are not close relatives. In fact, countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have a mandatory dress code enforced. Muslim women in these countries have to wear a hijab and an abaya, or a full-length, loose fitting garment on top of their clothes. Although God requires Muslim women to dress modestly and Saudi Arabia and Qatar have a dress code, it is entirely their choice on what they would like to wear.
Muslims often use it to keep themselves separate from the rest of society(Veil). Muslims have repeatedly shown that they prefer not to participate in society in western countries, which is not doing anyone any good. The idea of freedom is pointless if you do not take advantage of your opportunities. If muslims are living in a western country they should integrate(Veil). Muslims live in western countries for a reason, they need to start acting like they want to live there. If they do not wish to live in that country then they have the right to leave and live elsewhere. In other words, they have plenty of opportunities to be an active citizen and they need to participate so they can prove to others they are a good person. Furthermore, the wearers of the hijab get seperated, by society itself(Erlanger). Many people do not appreciate it when someone wears a hijab. Similarly to before, most people either feel hatred towards the hijab or they are scared of it. At last, the hijab separates Muslims from society, in many ways, whether they like it or